In Romans 7 Paul explains to the Jews in Rome the weakness of the Mosaic Covenant and why a New Covenant and the Holy Spirit is needed to please God. Romans 8 then explains how we can overcome all sin by Jesus Christ and God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.

Our sinful nature is to be ended by our sincere repentance, the application of the sacrifice of the Lamb of God and a baptismal symbolic death; and we are to rise up out of the water of baptism a NEW person, dead to sin and alive to the every Word of God the Father and Jesus Christ.

We are to rise up from baptism a new person dedicated to STOP sinning and to START living by every Word of God; dedicated to internalizing the very nature of God by the keeping of his Word and the doing of God’s will unto life eternal in full complete unity with God the Father and the Son.

The marriage of a physical man and woman is to last until the death of one of the parties.

Jesus Christ died for us and paid the penalty of death for us, yet we must sincerely repent of our PAST sins and accept the free merciful application of his sacrifice and go through the symbolic death and resurrection of baptism.

We are baptized INTO God the Father and Jesus Christ, and into the Holy Spirit; which is the nature of Christ and God the Father; and we are to therefore rise up from the water, DEAD to PAST sin; becoming a new person in God the Father and Jesus Christ; passionately committed to living by every Word of God Father.

When we go down into the watery grave of baptism after sincere repentance and a commitment to “go and sin no more” we are symbolically and literally destroying the old person of sin; and the penalty of the law [death] will then be satisfied by the application of the sacrifice of Christ.

Then we are to rise up a NEW person, wholeheartedly committed to godliness and to internalizing the entire nature of God through faithfully living by every Word of God: Rising up from the watery grave of baptism to go and sin no more, through the power of the spirit of Jesus Christ and God the Father being given to dwell in us!

The whole Word of God defines the nature of God, and the Spirit of God is also the nature of God; therefore anyone or any spirit that leads you to compromise with the Word of God, is of Satan the devil and is a spirit of Antichrist!

Romans 7:1Know ye not, brethren, (for I speak to them that know the law,) how that the law hath dominion over a man as long as he liveth?

The law of marriage lasts until the death of one of the spouses.

Those who divorce and remarry in the faith are living in adultery. The only acceptable reason for divorce is if one’s spouse runs off to live in adultery with another or leaves the faith and will not dwell peaceably with the converted spouse (1 Cor 7:15). In that case the guilty person is to be ostracized from the assemblies as unconverted. See the article on marriage.

7:2 For the woman which hath an husband is bound by the law to her husband so long as he liveth; but if the husband be dead, she is loosed from the law of her husband. 7:3 So then if, while her husband liveth, she be married to another man, she shall be called an adulteress: but if her husband be dead, she is free from that law; so that she is no adulteress, though she be married to another man.

Physical marriage is an allegorical lesson about spiritual marriage to Jesus Christ

God forbids divorce and remarriage in the faith.

Only if one or both persons leave the faith may they divorce not being converted and living outside the will of God (Mat 19:8).

If one of the persons is not keeping the commandments and is making the observant person miserable or has fled the marriage; the converted person is not bound to the apostate sinner who rejects their God commanded responsibilities.

Why? Because the allegory of being spiritually married to Christ is broken when we are married to an Antichrist and not to a God fearing converted person!

The called out are not called to be ONE with evil [one with a wicked person]; we are called to be ONE in complete unity with the Word of God and God’s righteousness.

If both persons claim to be in the faith and divorce and remarry; they are living in adultery and deceiving themselves about their conversion: They are BOTH unconverted and should be rejected from the fellowship and congregation.

Marriage is a type of the relationship that God wants with us

When we die symbolically in baptism, our previous marriage [oneness] with sin ends, and we are free to marry [become one with] godliness.

When we are raised up out of that symbolic death of the old person who was one with sin, we are raised up from that symbolic death to begin a new marriage, no longer with sin but called [engaged] to be married to God; to be espoused to a new Husband who is Jesus Christ; and we are to be committed to the duties of a bride to follow and obey God the Father and our espoused Husband, Jesus Christ!

7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the [sin and the penalty of the law for sin] law by the body [the sacrificial death of Christ applied to the sincerely repentant]of Christ; that ye should be married to another [that we are free from sin and free to be espoused to Jesus Christ], even to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.

Our marriage to [unity with] SIN ends with sincere repentance, the application of the sacrifice of Christ and our symbolic death in the grave of baptism; our symbolic death frees us from our unity with sin [symbolic marriage to sin], to become a part of the espoused bride of Jesus Christ!

7:5For when we were in the flesh, the motions [actions, deeds] of sins, which were [revealed] by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death.

God’s law teaches us the way to eternal life [which is the keeping God’s Word] and reveals how to avoid the way to destruction.

7:6But now we are delivered from the [penalty of the] law that being dead [the sinful person becoming dead to sin through repentance, baptism and the application of the sacrifice of Christ] wherein we were held [the sincerely repentant are freed from the bondage to sin which brings death]; that we should serve in newness of spirit [now becoming zealous to live by every Word of God in both letter and spirit], and not in the oldness of the letter [the list of (the indictments) for our past sins]

We rise up from baptism free from the indictment [the list of the laws which we have broken] against us; and we are to go forth in the power of God’s Spirit to sin no more; now being given the Spirit of Godliness and the Whole Word of God; which is the nature of God the Father and Jesus Christ in print. We are no longer under the penalty of having broken the law [the law being that those who sin must die], being delivered by the sacrifice of Christ and the grace of God.

We are now freed from that part of the law [through the application of the sacrifice of Christ], which declares that we must die for our past sins; and being freed from our PAST sins and the indictment against us for those sins; we are to go forward in a newness of spirit, sinning no more.

7:7What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: [The law is not sin; the law defines and describes sin and helps us to understand what sin is, so we can avoid sin and live!] for I had not known lust [we could not understand and avoid the evil of lust, unless God told us in his Word], except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

The law reveals what sin is, taking away our cloak of ignorance of what sin is, and makes us cognizant of our sins; and if we continue in sin with the knowledge of what sin is we are even more guilty of sin than when we sinned previously in ignorance. For example of a person knows and admits that the Sabbath is Holy and then proceeds to pollute it; they are sinners indeed.

The Weakness of the Mosaic Covenant

Paul now shows how the law [the formal law given at Sinai] which was intended to bring life, instead brought death because the people could not keep the law.

This is about the Mosaic Covenant as a background to explain the need for a New Covenant and the necessity for the Gift of the Holy Spirit to enable us to keep God’s Word!

Jeremiah 31:31Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah:

31:32Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith the Lord:

31:33But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people.

The law cannot save us because we cannot keep the law in the Mosaic Covenant, not having the promise of God’s enabling Spirit.

Therefore a New Covenant is needed which will empower people to keep the law!

Romans 7:8But sin, taking occasion by the commandment, wrought in me all manner of concupiscence [evil thoughts leading to sin]. For without the law sin was dead.

The law reveals what sin is, and without the law man cannot know what sin is; therefore once we have our eyes opened to the law defining sin, we become more guilty for breaking the law willfully than when we did so ignorantly.

7:9For I was alive without thelaw once: but when the commandment came, sin revived, and Idied.

The law which was meant to bring life by teaching us how to avoid sin resulted in our falling into the condemnation of the law; through our inability to keep the law and our continued law breaking, now with a knowledge of the law. Therefore the Mosaic Covenant could not save anyone from the penalty of the law which is death; and a New and better Covenant is needed.

7:10And the commandment, which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death.7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it slew me.

The law could not be kept by Mosaic Israel; demonstrating the need for a New Covenant offering the empowerment of God’s Holy Spirit to enable us to keep the law

The law which was given to teach us the way to life, then resulted in the breaking of that law through our weakness.

7:12 Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.

The law is Holy and Just and Good; it is the breaking of the law which is sin and evil.

The law is the very nature and will of God defined; and the Word of God is truth, love and righteousness personified.

Therefore the breaking of that law is a departure from the nature, love, mind and Spirit of God; and is the opposite of righteousness, truth, and holiness.

7:13Was then that which is good [the law being very good] made death [Does the law bring death? NO!] unto me? God forbid. But sin, [the sin of law breaking brings death and the law reveals what sin is, so that we could henceforth avoid sin and death] that it might appear sin, working death in me by that which is good; [sin is commandment breaking and brings death; while the law if we keep it: Brings Life!] that sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful.

Does the holy law bring death? NO; it is the breaking of God’s law [any part of God’s Word] which brings death!

1 John 3:4Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

The Need for a New Covenant

The carnal mind [without the addition of God’s Spirit] cannot be subject to the holy law of God, which law is spiritual; therefore it was essential that a New Covenant with the addition of the power of God’s Spirit replace the Mosaic Covenant, to enable people to keep God’s Word.

Romans 7:14For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin.

In the Mosaic Covenant the weakness of the flesh causes us to stumble so that we cannot keep the law. Therefore of necessity we need God’s help to keep the Word of God; and that help comes in the form of a New Covenant (Jer 31:31) with an effective sacrifice for PAST sin and the Gift of God’s Spirit of overcoming power!

Through temptation or trial, our weak flesh will fall to sin; THAT IS WHY WE ARE TO RELY ON OUR DELIVERER AND NOT TRY TO OVERCOME SIN ON OUR OWN! Which was the lesson of the Mosaic Covenant!

We cannot overcome sin on our own! Only the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit can enable us to overcome the sin which besets us!

In the Mosaic Covenant and there was a desire to obey God, but no strength to do so.

7:15For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. 7:16If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. 7:17 Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 7:20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 7:21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

Mosaic Israel was a tremendous object lesson, teaching us that we cannot keep the Word of God by our own strength; proving the necessity for a New Covenant [Jer 31:31] and God’s empowering enabling Gift of His Holy Spirit

Our lives in the New Covenant faith are a constant struggle to overcome sin and replace that sin with the nature of God the Father and Jesus Christ and his faithful love and obedience to every Word of God (Mat 4:4).

Should we then give up the struggle and compromise with sin because enduring and overcoming is difficult, like many in Israel wanted to do in the desert of Sinai; or should we seek and use the strength of our God and the New covenant Gift of His Spirit to lift us up above our trials?

The temptation to sin is ever with us, yet if we are waging a constant and strong struggle against law breaking and sin, and we slip due to momentary weakness; it is the sin that we are fighting against that has momentarily overcome us, contrary to our own personal will!

But if we begin to justify law breaking and compromise, we are giving up the good fight and no longer struggling against sin and we are justifying and condoning our sin of law breaking; instead of running to our High Tower of Strength and Deliverer from bondage.

The called out delight in the Law and Word of God; yet being weak they cannot keep the Word of God on their own.

The Word of God is spiritual; and can only be kept through the indwelling Spirit of the one who had no sin and overcame all, to sit at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. We can not do it on our own; it is God the Father and Jesus Christ dwelling in us that enables us to overcome our sinful nature, if we rely on and follow after godliness!

7:22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man [in my mind]: 7:23 But I see another law in my members [body], warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

If our mind or spirit delights to do the Word of God, and yet we are in an apparent continual losing battle with our natural carnal man; what are we to do?

Who can deliver us? Is it not Jesus Christ who delivered Israel out of the slavery of Egypt?

Just as Pharaoh was a type of Satan and Egypt was a type of slavery and bondage to sin, Israel was a type of those called out of spiritual Egypt; and just as Jesus Christ delivered Israel out of Egypt he will also deliver us out of our slavery to sin and the god-king of this world.

Therefore let us put on the whole armor of God; and fight the good fight against all sin with the strong right arm of our Magnificent Deliverer and the power of God’s Spirit!

And if we slip or stumble let us rise right back up and run to our Mighty Tower of Strength, seeking his deliverance and power to overcome.

Let us NEVER, NEVER, NEVER give up the fight to continually maintain zeal to live by the whole Word of God! Let us NEVER try to self- justify compromising with God’s Word, because we are weary with well doing!

7:24O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

Paul then answers his own question in chapter 8. It is God the Father and Jesus Christ who are able to deliver us from our wretched weakness and predilection to sin!

7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

Paul’s desire was to serve God; yet like us, he could unintentionally slip. We will be tempted and we may struggle and sometimes slip, but we must NEVER give up fighting the good fight, until through Christ we have conquered sin!

Romans 8

Paul now gives the solution for Israel’s inability to keep the law of the Mosaic Covenant. It is the New Covenant gift of God’s Holy Spirit to the sincerely repentant which empowers and enables us to keep the law of life.

The Mosaic Covenant without the Holy Spirit is a representation of man trying to achieve godliness by his own efforts and strength. The Mosaic Covenant explained the need for the power of God dwelling in us to enable us to overcome.

It is through conversion to the New Covenant by sincere repentance from sin, and a commitment to “Go and sin no more (John 8:11);” that the sacrifice of Christ will be applied and the Gift of the overcoming power of Christ to dwell within us through the Holy Spirit may be received.

If we sincerely repent and commit to STOP sinning, the New Covenant provides the overcoming power of Christ to dwell within us and to overcome sin with us through the Holy Spirit!

Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 8:2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 8:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk [live] not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

If we live by every Word of God through the indwelling of God’s Spirit, we are delivered from sin and eternal death.

If we seek after worldliness and the things of the flesh, we follow the temporary things that bring eternal death! If we seek after the spiritual to keep the whole Word of God through the power of Christ dwelling in us; we seek life eternal!

8:5For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. 8:6 For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

The carnal mind, a mind without the Spirit of God; remains in bondage to sin in worldliness and cannot overcome sin by its own strength.

We must become spiritually minded through sincere repentance, forgiveness and the Gift of God’s Spirit, to be liberated from bondage to sin and worldliness.

Then to remain free from bondage of sin, we must continually follow the whole Word of God without compromise, into a full unity with the nature of God and eternal life!

8:7Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.8:8 So then they that are in the flesh [are worldly minded] cannot please God. 8:9But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you.

Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ[which spirit leads us to live by every Word of God without any compromise or turning to the left or the right], he is none of his.

8:10And if Christ be in you, the [our carnal worldly body] body is dead [in baptism] because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness [commandment keeping].

The Spirit of God will change our nature from worldliness to godliness, IF we follow it in keeping the whole Word of God; and if we keep the whole Word of God we shall be fully changed into spirit on that day!

8:11But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.

8:12Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. 8:13For if ye live after the flesh [live your own way contrary to God’s Word], ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body [destroying sin],ye shall live[eternally].

8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

If we are sincerely repentant and turn away from the deeds of sinful flesh through the power of God, to live by every Word of God; we shall become the adopted children of God the Father! And we will become a part of the collective bride of Christ being in complete SPIRITUAL UNITY with Jesus Christ and God the Father!

If we have sincerely repented and committed ourselves to go and sin no more (John 8:11); the atoning sacrifice of Christ will be applied to us (Rom 2:13), and then through the overcoming power of the Holy Spirit [IF we use it] we are freed from death, which is the wages of sin.

8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear[if we sincerely repent and STOP sinning we need not fear damnation for our sincerely repented and forgiven PAST sins]; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

What does the commandment say? Honor your father and mother! If we are to honor our physical fathers in their imperfections; how much more are we to honor our perfect Father in heaven?

8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 8:17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.

The trials we face in order to be zealous to live by every Word of God are as nothing compared to the reward awaiting us for faithful passionate continual burning zeal for the whole Word of God to learn it and to keep it.

8:18For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 8:19 For the earnest expectation of the creature [creation] waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 8:20 For the creature [creation] was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,

The New Covenant brings the HOPE that the whole creation itself will be delivered from the decay into which it was subjected.

8:21Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 8:22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.

All those who are faithful followers of God the Father and Jesus Christ, wait upon our change to eternal life.

8:23And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body [from flesh into spirit].

We wait in hope, which is faith in the promises of God.

8:24For we are saved by hope [faith that Christ rose from the dead and hope in God’s promise that the faithful may like Jesus, also rise from the grave]: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth [already has], why doth he yet hope for? 8:25But if we hope for that [what] we see not [We hope for our salvation which we seek and do not already have. For salvation is given to the faithful overcomer], then do we with patience wait for it [wait for our change to spirit at the resurrection].

The flesh is weak and subject to sin; but the Spirit of God enables us to overcome, providing the things we need to overcome, even when we do not know what we need; IF we follow God’s Spirit and keep the whole Word of God without any turning or compromise.

8:26Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

8:27And he that searcheth the hearts [Jesus Christ our High Priest] knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit [the nature and mind of God], because he maketh intercession [Jesus Christ as our High Priest, helps the faithful to overcome through the agency of the Spirit] for the saints according to the will of God.

8:28And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Those who God the Father calls to himself through Christ are predestined to become just like Jesus Christ; with the same faithful passionate zeal for the whole Word of God that Jesus Christ had for God the Father!

The very purpose of our calling is to become just like God the Father and Jesus Christ, in wholehearted enthusiasm to live by every Word of God!

To turn aside from, or to compromise with, or to reject a burning zeal for every Word of God; is a betrayal of our calling!

8:29 For whom he did foreknow [those the Father called], he [God intended that those he called would be conformed into the very likeness of Christ, in Christ-like zeal for God the Father] also did predestinate to beconformed to the image of his Son,[those God called, he called to conform to the image (to be just like) his son; who kept his Father’s commandments] that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

If we respond positively to God the Father’s call with sincere repentance and a commitment to go and sin no more; we will be justified by the application of the sacrifice of Christ; and if we continue in the righteousness of the whole Word of God, we are predestined to be glorified in the resurrection to spirit!

As long as we rely on God to deliver us from all sin and we follow God the Father and Jesus Christ in all things, to keep the whole Word of God without any compromise; we are predestined to eternal life.

8:31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?8:32 He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? 8:33Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God’s elect? It is God that justifieth. 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.

Our relationship with God the Father is personal and direct, through Jesus Christ our High Priest and our ONLY Mediator. If we are zealous to learn and to keep the whole Word of God, without compromise, regardless of the cost: No pope, priest, saint, god or goddess; No man, elder, corporate church leader or corporate church organization; can come between you and GOD ALMIGHTY!

8:35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. 8:37Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

If we suffer or die for our zeal to serve our God; he will raise us up to spirit on that day!

If we compromise with any part of the Word of God to avoid trials, or fall to temptation, or fear men more then we love God; if we idolize men or organizations and exalt their words above the Word of God: We are condemned to eternal death, unless we sincerely repent!

8:38For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

If we are faithful to live by every Word of God with Christ-like zeal: Nothing can separate us from our Mighty God the Eternal Father. Only our own sins can separate us from God (Isaiah 59:1).

If we turn away from zeal to learn and to keep the whole Word of God, if we instead have a zeal to follow the traditions of men, making idols of men; we are destined to eternal destruction unless we repent sincerely.

Be zealous to live by every Word of God! Prove all things by God’s Word! Let no man take your crown!